Wang Rongpei: Legal eagle helping those most in need

For Wang Rongpei and the other volunteers at the legal aid center of Renmin University of China in Beijing, offering their services for free is not only socially beneficial, but also a good way of improving their professional skills.

Founded in 1998, the center mainly consists of graduate law students from the university who want to put what they have learned at school to practical use.

The 200-plus volunteers take turns providing services part time at the Supreme People's Court and Haidian District People's Court in Beijing.

"Those who ask us for legal help are mainly migrant workers, older people, students and women; people who know little about the law and do not know how to seek legal help if their rights are violated," Wang said.

"They feel more comfortable explaining their problems to students because it is easier to communicate with us, compared with lawyers who are legally required to provide a certain amount of free legal aid," the 24-year-old added.

"We treat each complaint very seriously, and many of us will spend months on a case, preparing the necessary paperwork, doing research and seeking help from our teachers to ensure our clients get the best legal services."

Last year, the center offered its services to more than 1,000 people and helped to retrieve more than 300,000 yuan ($44,500) that was owed to them. It also provided legal awareness campaigns for migrant workers and primary and secondary school students.

"Sometimes, we find it hard to balance our school work with legal aid because it is very time-consuming to prepare for different cases, but most of us find it rewarding to offer help to others," Wang said.

"It's not just about the clients who receive help from us. We are also gaining practical training we cannot learn at school, and that helps to prepare us to become better legal professionals when we graduate."